Hemodialysis treatment involves obtaining access to blood through one or more blood vessels. Specifically, one or more needles or catheters may be inserted into one or more blood vessels to draw or retrieve fluid. Preferably, the one or more vessels may be located close to the surface of the skin. Frequently, a fistula may be formed between two vessels to provide better access. A fistula allows blood to flow quickly between the vessels, while bypassing the capillaries. The quality of the vascular access that may be achieved may impact the adequacy of hemodialysis.
Typically, a vessel for vascular access (e.g., for hemodialysis) is ideally located about 5 mm or less from the skin of the patient. However, some vessels may be too deep below the skin and an underlying layer of fat to reach with a conventional needle. In some cases, it may be desirable to use one or more deep vessels whose access is obscured by a thicker layer of subcutaneous fat. As such, it may be desirable to have devices, systems, and methods to facilitate percutaneous access to these deep vessels.